Telephone-exchange.



UNITED STATES Fatented November 24,

PATENT OFFIQE.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,735, dated November24, 1903.

Application filed August 20 1902. Serial No- 120,393. (No model.)

To all whom it na/y concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES S. EXLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the county of Clarke and State of Iowa, have invented a newand usefulTelephone-Exchange, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to telephone exchanges or switchboards and theobject thereof is to provide apparatus of this character that is made upof a few simple elements which are not liable to become deranged, saidapparatus being easily understood and readily operated, as will be seenupon a perusal I of the specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein the preferred form of construction is setforth.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the switchboard.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view throughthe same. diagrammaticviewjof the system, and Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through one ofthe plugs.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment shown a base-plate 10 is employed, which is preferablyrectangular in form and constitutes a support for the various elements.Independent line-wires 11 11 11 11 11 lead from the various subscribersinstruments (one of which is indicated at 12 in Fig. 3)'to anintermediate portion of the plate 10, where they are connected withposts 13, passing through said plate.

To the outer ends of the posts 13 are attached switches comprisingflexible cords 14, each having at its free end a plug 15, theconstruction of which is clearly shown in Fig. 4. A suitablenon-conductive body 16 is employed,

having a longitudinal opening therethrough in which is fitted a metallicstem 17, that projects from one end of the body, said stem having at itsunexposed endan eye 18, to-

which the cord 14 is attached. A fastening device preferably in the formof a screw 19 passes through the body 16 and the eye 18', thus securingthe stem in place.

In this system there are employed suitable signals for the varioussubscribers, one of which is shown diagrammatically at 20 in Fig. 3.These signals are each connected, by

means of a suitable wire 21, with a contact Fig. 3 is ajacks 25 and thebodies 23, these openings being designed to receive the stems 17 of theplugs.

Arranged in suitable longitudinally-disposed seats 27, formed in therear face of the base-plate 10, are exchange-contact devices- 28, thenumber of which, of course, depends on the number of subscribers. Thesedevices each comprise metallic bars 29, secured at their ends to thebase-plate and having a plurality of spring-jacks 30 fastened to them,these spring-jacks forming sockets 31, which are alined with openings32,'constructed in the base-plate, which openings are also designed toreceive the stems 17 of the plugs. In this apparatus the usualegcchange'instrument (indicated at 33) is also employed, this instrumentbeing connected, by means of a line 34, with a switch-cord 35, that isfastened to the lower portion of the base-plate, said switch-cord beingprovided with a plug 36, constructed similarly to those already described. The manner of operating this device may probably be bestexplained as follows: The various subscribers instruments are nor-mallyconnected with their respective signals by engaging the stem 17 inthe contact delvices of said signals, while the switch exchangeinstrument is connected with an exchange-contact device by inserting theplug thereof into one of its sockets. vAssuming now that a call shouldcome to the exchange from the subscriber on the line-wire 11, it

that wire will be actuated, as said signal is in circuit with the same.tor noticing this signal removes the plug from the contact device 22 ofthe operated signal and places it in one of the sockets of theexchange-contact device. This will place the subscriber in communicationwith the exchange operator; Upon ascertaining the The exchange operaiconumber the caller desires the plug for that number is also inserted inthe remaining socket of the exchange-contact device, while the callersplug is removed. The exchange operator then calls up the number desiredand replacing the plug of the caller in the exchange-contact devicethereby places the two in communication. As the operator can also remainin communication, it may be readily ascertained when the subscribers arefinished, and they can thus be out ch. Should another call come in, itwill of course be seen that the other exchange-contact device may beemployed and the arrangement may be duplicated to provide a sufficientnumber of exchange devices.

It will be apparent that this switchboard may be manufactured atcomparatively small cost, while its simplicity not only resides in itsconstruction, but in the manner of operation. The several parts areextremely simple and of such a character that they-are not liable tobecome deranged. Attention is especially directed to the construction ofthe plugs, which are very simple and yet thor- 'oughly efficient.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I consider myself the first to construct a telephone-exchange in whichthere is provided a contact device in circuit with the exchange-circuit,in combination with a series of independent switches which are adaptedto make and break connection with the said contact device, said switchesbeing in circuit with the line-wires of the subscribers instruments, andhaving means for making and breaking connection with an individualexchange-signal for each subscribers instrument, and wish it to beunderstood that various mechanical equivalents may be substituted forthe means herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof independent lines, of signals for the lines, an exchangecontactdevice, and a switch connected with each line and movable into and outof connection with both the signal and the contact device.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with-a pluralityof independent lines, of a signal for each line, an exchangecontactdevice, a switch connected with each line and movable into and out ofconnection with both the signal and the contact device, an exchangeinstrument, and a switch connected with the exchange instrument andmovable into and out of connection with the exchange-contact device.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof independent lines, of a common exchange-contact having a plurality ofsockets, and separate switchcords connected with the lines and havingplugs arranged to engage in the sockets of the exchange-contact.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof independent lines, of a common exchange-contact having a plurality ofsockets, separate switch-cords connected with the lines and having plugsarranged to engage in the sockets of the exchange-contact, an exchangeinstrument,and a switch-cord connected with said instrument and havingaplug that is arranged to engage in one of the sockets of theexchange-contact.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof independent lines, of a common exchange-contact having a plurality ofsockets, a signal for each line also having a socket, and separateswitchcords connected with the lines and having plugs arranged to engagein the sockets of the exchange-contact and of the signals.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof independent lines, of a common exchange-contact comprising a barhaving a plurality of springjacks secured thereto forming sockets, andseparate switch cords connected with the lines and having plugs arrangedto engage in the sockets of the exchange-contact.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof independent lines, of a common exchange-contact comprising a barhaving a plurality of springjacks secured thereto, signals for the linesprovided with spring-jacks, and separate switch-cords connected to thelines and having plugs, said plugs being movable into engagement withthe jacks of the cont-act device and those of the signals.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof independent lines, of a common exchangecontact comprising a barhaving a plurality of spring jacks secured thereto, signals for thelines provided with spring-jacks, separate switchcords connected to thelines and having plugs,

said plugs being movable into engagement cuit with theswitch, wherebythe switch may be cut out from the exchange-signal and cut in with withthe exchange-contact device, the latter constituting a connecting mediumbetween the respective line-Wires.

- 10. In apparatus of the class described, the

- combination with the line-wires of a plurality of independentsubscribers instruments, of an exchange-contact device in circuit withthe exchange instrument, a switch connection between the exchangecircuit and exchangecontact device, an individual switch for eachline-wire permanently in circuit therewith, and an independentexchange-signal for each subscribers instrument in circuit with theswitch, whereby the switch may be cut out from the exchange-signal andcut in with the exchange-contact device, the latter constituting aconnecting medium between the respective line-wires.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES sfEXLEY.

Witnesses:

W. H. BAKER, JULIA A. BARGEB.

